Sylvia Brooks
By Veronica Dawn
Jazz is certainly no stranger to Sylvia Brooks, a fact extraordinary evident throughout the duration of her encore performance at Catalina Bar and Grill. Brooks returned to Catalina stage on July 16, 2008, where she performed songs from The Great American Songbook masterfully arranged by Tom Garvin.
Sylvia Brooks comes from a solid musical background, growing up with her father a popular jazz pianist and her mother a nightclub performer. "Sitting in the crib and hearing that music, it has to do something to you", says Brooks. It was inevitable that melodies and harmonies would course rapidly through her veins from a very young age. Through Garvin's innovative arrangements, this music possesses the ability to convey complex emotions while telling a unique and vivid story through the utilization of refreshing and diverse sounds performed by Brooks and her dynamic sextet.
The venue itself is open and inviting, with what it boasts as "Old World charm". Sharing the space with a stage framed by a scarlet red curtain and adorned with glistening instruments, the small tabletops are filled with admiring fans anxiously anticipating the music to come. With the opportunity for the spectator to not only enjoy some of the best jazz in the city, but also to sip on a specialty cocktail while savoring a succulent meal, the overall experience and comfort of the Catalina Bar and Grill is one of the reasons the artist is drawn to the venue, choosing to return for this encore performance. Unlike many other jazz clubs in the city, the scene here is friendly and amicable, aside from the highly priced menu and somewhat slow service.
Assuming her rightful position upon the stage, wearing a dress adorned with glamorous green sequence, her dynamic presence is felt throughout the venue as she exudes grace and confidence in her serene stride. Brooks places her delicate hand upon the microphone, her beaming smile radiating throughout the room. As her vocal chords begin to resonate, notes emerge as a stark contrast to her feminine physique, yet match her commanding charisma. There is such a smooth quality to the sound as she opens the night with the captivating and energetic tune, "Live Till I Die". With jazz melodies such as "Cry Me a River", effortlessly melting into rhythmic Cuban pulsations like "Sway", followed by the savvy beats of "Harlem Nocturne" and "Blues in the Night", the varied selection of music was effectively mixed therefore maintaining a smooth and melodic flow to the evening.
Sylvia credits her dynamic performance to her talented musicians, and I certainly agree for I was justly mesmerized by their extensive musical abilities. Ever so often you encounter a stage such as that at Catalina Bar and Grill the evening of July 16, beaming with multi-talented artists who take immense pleasure in what they do. With Chris Collangello on bass, Kendall Kay on drums, Gary Nasterook on keyboard, Ron Stout on trumpet, Kim Richmond on sax and flute, and Jeff Colello on piano, the chemistry between Brooks and her sextet was passionately obvious as each artist played off the energy of another. The joie de vivre upon the staged effortlessly oozed into the audience, allowing Brooks to develop an intimate link with the spectator, opening each number by the sharing of personal experiences accompanied by genuine eye contact and a friendly smile.
Uniting Sylvia's experience with a broad range of music, and Garvin's intense passion for jazz, these two vastly different worlds have been melded together into arrangements catered to fit the singer's individual style. This relaxed and intimate cabaret setting suits Brooks, with a "certain level of satisfaction in the selection of songs that truly speak to your heart".
Reviewing her varied credits, it is clear Brooks has spent a great deal of time traveling and performing. When asked if looking to stay in LA for any length of time, she responds with promising ambitions of continued appearances throughout the LA area, "keeping the project intact", in addition to hopes of one day performing in the European club scene. Throughout the evening, with the support of her brilliant musicians, these gifted artists showcased their individual talents, transporting something innovative and alive to the Catalina stage. As she finished her set with an encore of "I'm Still Here", it is obvious that Sylvia Brooks is certainly here, and that is definitely a great thing.
Raising an Army for Love
By Mona Loring
These days much of popular music tends to consist of impersonal lyrics and a typical sound. In comes musical architect Michael James. With the release of his new EP, "To Raise an Army for Love," James escapes the notion of a typical "love song" without abandoning the single most important element in his music: his undeniable gift for pouring his heart into every song. Creating an original sound out of influences from U2, Death Cab for Cutie, Sufjan Stevens, and Damien Rice, Michael James' music embodies heartfelt songwriting that is rich with hook-driven melodies, a slice-of-life story telling, and atmospheric guitars.
James tells Valley Scene Magazine about his new album, his success with his other band Fiance and more.
VSM: What was the inspiration behind the new album?
MJ: The inspiration for "To Raise an Army for Love" comes from the two central ideas of love and war. It's not necessarily literal 'war' that I am writing about...but more the battles and wars that we all fight everyday for the sake of things that we care about and the people we love.
VSM: What is your favorite track and why?
MJ: My favorite track very well could be "Stethoscope." I love the simplicity that it brings to the table. It is probably the most vulnerable I have ever gotten with a song... just a simple story and a simple message. I am also partial to it because the experience of recording it was so amazing. I had Nate White come in and play upright bass with a bow. The line that he came up with is truly gripping...and to be there when it was recorded was a moving experience.
VSM: Your lyrics seem to mean a lot to you, what is the process behind your songwriting?
MJ: From a lyrical standpoint, the process of songwriting is all over the place. Certain songs are inspired by experiences that I have been through. Others are inspired by nothing more than a fleeting thought I turn into a story. At the end of the day, there is always some kind of truth in my songs and in my lyrics. That doesn't mean they are all autobiographical, but I draw upon real emotion.
VSM: You're also in a band called Fiance that is developing a buzz in the Midwest. Tell me about that experience.
MJ: Being in Fiance has been nothing but a great experience. When I started in music, I always thought I would be in a band... I never thought I would end up as a solo artist. It just so happened through the course of events that I went that route. However, aside from really enjoying the process of making music with a band, I think what Fiancé has done for my solo career is challenge and broaden my horizons. When you are a solo artist, you don't have a band to bounce ideas off of. There is not a collaboration of different minds and ideas melding into one finished product. It is all up to you. In the case of Fiancé, even though the band's music does not directly affect my solo music, being involved with another project forces me to think outside my own head and in turn, carries over to my solo stuff.
VSM: Do the two projects coincide well or conflict? It must be very time-consuming to push two projects simultaneously.
MJ: Juggling Fiance with my solo stuff can be difficult, but I make it work. The key is that I love doing both of them...so when I am working on one or both of the projects from 8:00am to 11:00pm almost every day, it doesn't seem like work. The benefits and challenges that being involved in two projects brings far outweigh the scheduling hassles. It keeps my creativity up.
VSM: What's up next for you?
MJ: I plan to promote this new EP as much as possible to get it heard by as many people as possible. I want to show people another side to my music that they have not seen in Fiancé. I love playing music for live audiences and I will continue to do so both with Fiance and my solo stuff. I have also started to incorporate other musicians into my solo material which has been a nice change of pace from the 'one guy with a guitar' approach I have taken in years past. I am also always writing, and I have already begun to think about my next recording.
The Morning Benders/Supergrass
By Giulian Jones
“The youth is wasted on the young,” I once read George Bernard Shaw say, and many times over I am disappointed with how the whole world seems to revolve around teenage sensations and the next big thing. The good news is that there is still hope, and this year's version of something to hold your breath and pray is a quartet known as The Morning Benders. Just in from a lengthy tour with international pop group The Kooks, The Morning Benders were billed as the opening act for British power pop kings Supergrass on a night at the world famous Avalon Theater located directly across the street from the iconic former Capital records building now serving as a high rise condo for the uber rich. In talking with the lads you get the honest impression that these guys are in love with music and their reference to classic artist listed as influences ranges from Neil Young to Radiohead. “We listen to a variety of great artist and hopefully you can here them in our own songs”, says lead singer/songwriter Chris Chu standing with his band mates in an ally just off of Hollywood Boulevard.
It’s always interesting to me, how folks meet and make the transition to playing music together. Musicians are an interesting breed of people; they live their lives by the guitar. The good news about the Morning Benders is they write and play their own music. This is a dying art form in the 21st century where most bands are cast on television shows or produced by record labels to sell t-shirts. “We all kind of met through a small social network up in Northern California and had a common interest in music. It really happened organically, which is always the best way.” Says, Chris.
The best part of their live show, for me, was listening to the very melodic vocals of Chris Chu juxposed to the manic guitar work of Joe Ferrell. Joe's guitar was weeping like a scorned lover at the same time Chris was singing joyfully and it was the perfect one-two punch that most bands don't have and certainly not at this stage in the game and will prove to be their lasting impression.
What’s so wrong with a good pop song, nothing, and The Morning Benders are in search of the next big one. I must say that I am tired of watching tired old veterans playing tired old songs to a tired old crowd. The Morning Benders write good pop songs like Cheap Trick did before them and Squeeze did before them and a little band called The Beatles did before any body thought it was cool and we all know what happened to them. The Music business can be a tough gig for any body, but as long as The Morning benders are in it, I think things will work out just fine. Pop music, yes, but not kid's stuff. The music business can be a tough one, filled with people that have no clue what they are doing and people like Lou Perlman who is being ordered to pay more than 300 million dollars in restitution for his part of a major music scam that involved pop music and I am reminded that this is a business not meant for everybody. The Morning Benders, however, remind me how much fun it can be. Chris says,” We drive all day to some of our gigs, spends loads of time in our van and the joy of our lives is when we pull up and plug in. We love to play live and live for it. We also know that we are very lucky to be playing music for a living.” It's also that kind of humility that separates these guys from Northern California from the overnight sensations that come and go like the wind. Their album is out on plus 1 music entitled “Talking through Tin Cans”. The Morning Benders are back in town for a one night only engagement at the El Rey Theater on August 7 in support of the Airborne Toxic Event. Get your tickets now as this show will sell out and the next time around they won't be supporting anybody but themselves.
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